Report: Challenges, Skills, and Action Plan for Professional Growth

This report delves into the critical importance of developing both academic and professional skills, particularly within the context of business management studies. It identifies the primary challenges faced by students in this field, such as concept-based learning, understanding practical aspects, and gaining knowledge of the corporate world. The report emphasizes the significance of these skills in boosting confidence, fostering career and academic growth, and creating opportunities. Key skills, including communication and leadership, are highlighted, and a SWOT analysis is applied to assess personal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. An action plan is presented, outlining specific skills to be developed, resources needed, and timelines for achieving these goals, ultimately aiming to enhance overall professional competence and academic success. The report concludes by underscoring the value of strategic planning and self-assessment in navigating the complexities of academic and professional development.

Developing Academic
and Professional Skills

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK ..............................................................................................................................................4
The challenges of studying business management and thriving in professional practice...........4
The significance of effective academic and professional skills development ...........................4
A brief description of the key skills............................................................................................4
Team working skills with SWOT and its importance along with key examples related to it ....4
Action plan in order to achieve effective management and working skills................................4
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Enhancement and development of professional and academic skills is the most important
function or task for an individual (Aubakirova, and Zeinullina, 2019). In the instructional life, it
is key role of an individual to focus on increasing the chances of develop effective knowledge. It
is key role of professors to facilitate development of students in order to provide them efficient
ways. Professional academic knowledge is crucial to be obtained in order to gain precise
knowledge of a subject matter. This project will focus on analysing the SWOT to know major
weaknesses and strengths. This project will include a description of major challenges which are
faced by a student in studying business study subject. The project will also focus on developing
major skills in order to enhance career opportunities.

TASK
The challenges of studying business management and thriving in professional practice
Business management subject is considered as most challenging subject of academic life.
The business management subject must be analysed in order to formulate key aspects of
development. In order to study business management and gain knowledge related to
organisational development there are a lot of challenges. The key challenges faced by a person in
studying the business management subject are mentioned below:
 Concepts based learning- The concept based learning should be developed according to
requirement of students of subject (Boettler, and Siegrist, 2022). Concepts of the subject
should be clear so that a student should learn effective approach. In order to clear the
concepts, it is main role of management teacher is to develop interest in students.
 Understanding the practical aspects- Practical aspects of business management and
their understanding is must for students. This is also a major aspect of business
management subject that students must develop a full fledged plan to study the subject.
 Knowledge of corporate world- The knowledge of real-time corporate world is most
essential for a business management student. Academic institutions must provide key
chances of doing internship to students in order to develop focused approach. Knowledge
of corporate world will also help in increasing chances of academic success.
The significance of effective academic and professional skills development
The professional skills have the major advantages in order to formulate key practices that
are vital for growth. The major significance of these skills for a student is mentioned below:
 Confidence development- Development of confidence is most essential for a candidate
in order to develop potential (Czerniawski, Guberman, and MacPhail, 2017). With the
help and support of academic skills and professional skills as well, a person can easily
learn how to manage things with help of superiority. It is also key role of a person to take
into consideration focus on confidence in order to develop more emphasized approach.
 Career and academic growth- The main significance of these skills is, they boost career
and academic growth. In the recent times, all individuals who are practising the
development of career and academic growth will improve their chances of success by
increasing these skills. The academic growth of an individual provide solutions on the

basis of developing key factors which are related to growth. It is also one of the major
roles of a candidate to take support and help from seniors to learn these skills.
 Increase enthusiasm and opportunities- The enhancement of these skills also supports
a candidate to develop enthusiasm and opportunities (Heustis, and Loparo, 2019). It is
main role of an individual to increase these skills for better development of himself in
front of the whole world. In order to gain competitive advantage in the organisational and
institutional life, focus on these skills is must.
A brief description of the key skills
Skills are most necessary to be developed in order to gain knowledge of key behaviour
and major aspects. Major skills which should be learned by me in order to establish good career
in the field of management. This is key role of an individual to learn skills with emphasis and
focus on role and development. The communication skills are most important part in life of a
business management student. To develop advanced communication skills, it is necessary for an
individual to focus on learning major dimensions of these skills. In today's world information
and technology is considered as key approach which states importance of learning these skills.
(Hosan, and Hoglund, 2017). The major skills which are to be learned by me will help in
increasing chances of stability in my career objectives. Communication skills are essential to be
developed to manage subordinate employee as per my business manger job role. It is most
essential for me to also analyse key growth based chances of development by increasing key
approach in managing major skills. The communication skills are also important to learned to
enhance opportunities related to my dream job of business manager. I will enhance my
communication skills in order to perform key actions according to demand of coordination in
the organisation. The communication skills and their development will help me to improve
chances of success and overall development.

Team working skills with SWOT and its importance along with key examples related to it
The SWOT analysis is an important framework which is used to develop effective
capabilities and competencies. The SWOT analysis of communication skills is following which
will increase chances of self development in a short span of time. The SWOT analysis of myself
is mentioned below:
 Strengths- I am good in informal communication as I feel more comfortable in
contacting with the society and friends. I want to develop and give emphasis on learning
professional communication skills so that I could establish formal communication in my
institution. This strength of mine will help me to increase chances of systematic
development in order to increase chances of development.
 Weaknesses- It is very much crucial for me to analyse key weaknesses that are faced by
me to develop focused approach. In order to focus on my weakness like development of
formal communication (Meissner, and Shmatko, 2019). I will take training from experts
who teach effective and well defined communication skills.
 Opportunities- I consider that opportunities are golden chances for an individual to
perform key functions in a more systematic manner. I have the opportunity to learn
organisation based communication skills which are used in many international and
national companies.
 Threats- I should analyse the major threats which are faced my me in order to increase
chances of effective growth. Learning communication skills in an advanced manner is
key challenge available to me. In order to face threats I will analyse development of set
of policies which will help me in eliminating threats.

Action plan in order to achieve effective management and working skills
Action plan
Action plan is considered as key document which is prepared by an individual in order to
perform development of major skills. It is necessary for a student to develop action plan in order
to increase chances of development and growth (Menz, 2020). It is key role of an individual to
focus on development of action plan to enhance chances of further development. My action plan
is mentioned below in order to learn business management skills:
The key skills which
are to be developed
related to
management
Key sources which
are needed for
development
Time frame Outcomes of learning
the skills
Leadership skills Attending seminars 5 Months This will make me a
good and versatile
leader. I will be able to
manage my
subordinate team
members with the help
of these skills.
Communication
skills
Watching Videos 8 Months The development of
communication skills
will make a versatile
and dynamic speaker.
Critical thinking
skills
Webinars 3 Months With the entrancement
of these skills I will
analyse key situations
with more effective
and advanced way
(Raju, 2017).
Learning innovation
in IT
Gaining precise
knowledge of
9 Months The information and
technology based

information and
technology
skills will increase my
knowledge related to
goals and development
(Zlatkin-
Troitschanskaia, and
Hansen-Schirra,
2018).

CONCLUSION
The above mentioned analysis concludes that in order to increase chances of academic
success it is crucial for a student to develop major skills. This project concludes that in order to
gain competency edge in the academic life, it is important for an individual to focus on
conducting SWOT analysis. The strategic and planning frameworks should be formulated by
students in order to increase chances of self development. This analysis concludes that most of
most of the individuals focus on learning key aspects of business management as it has wide
range of career options. This analysis also concludes that development of an action plan helps a
candidate to perform key actions which helps in achievement of set targets and goals.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aubakirova, G.T. and Zeinullina, D.N., 2019. Development of academic writing skills at
students. European science, (6), pp.50-53.
Boettler, L.M., and Siegrist, G.R., 2022. Academic skills, community engaged, leadership, and
global themed first-year seminars: Comparisons in student success. Journal of College Student
Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 24(1), pp.213-233.
Czerniawski, G., Guberman, A. and MacPhail, A., 2017. The professional developmental needs
of higher education-based teacher educators: an international comparative needs
analysis. European Journal of Teacher Education, 40(1), pp.127-140.
Heustis, R.J., and Loparo, J.J., 2019. Embedding academic and professional skills training with
experimental-design chalk talks. Nature Biotechnology, 37(12), pp.1523-1527.
Hosan, N.E. and Hoglund, W., 2017. Do Teacher–Child Relationship and Friendship Quality
Matter for Children's School Engagement and Academic Skills?. School Psychology
Review, 46(2), pp.201-218.
Meissner, D. and Shmatko, N., 2019. Integrating professional and academic knowledge: the link
between researchers skills and innovation culture. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 44(4),
pp.1273-1289.
Menz, M., 2020. Integrating Academic Skills and Employability-Revisiting the Learning
Journal. Journal of Research in Higher Education, 4(2).
Raju, J., 2017. Information professional or IT professional?: The knowledge and skills required
by academic librarians in the digital library environment. portal: Libraries and the
Academy, 17(4), pp.739-757.
Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, O., and Hansen-Schirra, S., 2018. Adapting and validating the
collegiate learning assessment to measure generic academic skills of students in Germany:
implications for international assessment studies in higher education. In Assessment of Learning
Outcomes in Higher Education (pp. 245-266). Springer, Cham.